Adjustable headband for headgear



Ap 1950 F. M. BQWERS 2,503,432

ADJUSTABLE HEADBAND FOR HEYADGEAR Filed July 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ///s ATTDRNA'):

p l 1950 I 7 M. BOWERS 2,503,432

ADJUSTABLE HEADBAND' FOR HEADGEAR Filed July 8, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I N V EN TOR. Ham/m M Boa/[2;

Patented Apr. 11, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE HEADBAND FOR HEADGEAR Application July 8, 1947, Serial No. 759,611

4 Claims.

This invention in general relates to improvements in headbands of the type customarily employed in industrial headgear apparatus, having for its object the provision of an adjustable headband suitable for use with welders helmets and the like, and adapted to afiord minute and accurate adjustment of the headband to suit the needs of the wearer.

Another object is the provision of an adjust.- able headband of the kind indicated of comparatively light, yet strong and durable construction, and particularly adapted to afford the maximum in the way of convenience of adjustment and accuracy of fit.

A further object is to provide an improved headband mechanism embodying certain desired improvements in the way of a more facile, convenient and substantially micrometer adjustment of the headband.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the

invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that various changes in the precise embodiment of the invention may be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the invention;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view taken in a plane substantially normal to that of Figure 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmentary exploded view of details forming the principal feature of the present invention, and

Figure 4 is an elevational detail view, partly in section and with a portion broken away of the manually operable means for adjusting the headband mechanism.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, wherein similar reference characters indicated corresponding parts in the several figures, thenumeral I l designates the arch member or top segment of the headband of the instant invention.

Arranged on the opposite outer arcuate surface of the arch member ll and extending tangentially away therefrom are a pair of straps l2, 13. Each of the straps l2, I3 is reinforced by a metal stri l4, l5 respectively whose outer marginal portions are crimped over as at l6 (Fig. 1), into clamping engagement with the adjacent marginal portions of the respective straps. Rivets Il secure the upper portion of the straps l2, l3 to the arch member II, and additional rivets l8 fasten the straps l4, l5 and adjacent portions of the straps together and to the arch member in reinforced relation. The straps I2, l3 are preferably curved outwardly, as at l9 and then directed downwardly to form a depending ortion 20 which is apertured as at 2| to accommodate pivoting elements (not shown) of the headgear to be used therewith. The opposite, depending ends 22, 23 of the arch member H are fastened in any suitable manner, as by rivets 24 to the opposite sides of the headband 25, now to be described.

The opposed ends 26, 2'! of the headband 25, which may be regarded as an improvement over that shown in patent to Bowers, 1,874,872, are slidably received in an elongated sleeve or member 28 which also slidably embraces portions of the tubular headband adjacent the ends thereof. In the center of the front or outer wall 29 of the sleeve 28 a cut out portion or opening (not shown) is provided, the said opening being flanked by two elongated slots 3|, 32 arranged in aligned relation and separated from the said opening by a pair of intervening straps, as at 33. Riveted, as at 34 to the outer wall 29 of the sleeve 28, and approximately between the straps 33, is a bracket 35 having a cut out portion 35 registering 'with the first-mentioned opening in the sleeve. The bracket 35, as best shown in Fig. 3, is formed to provide two triangular-shaped opposed and spaced projections 31, 38 integral with the base of the bracket and apertured as at 39 to accommodate the opposite ends of an axle member 40 to which a cylindrical and manually adjustable thumb nut or element 4| isfastened, as by the pin 42 (Fig. 4). To one end of the axle member 40, a coil or flexible helical member 43, having contiguous turns or convolutions, is fastened in any suitable manner, as by soldering or welding. To the other end of the same axle member, a similar, but oppositely wound, helical member 44 is correspondingly fastened. Inaccordance with this invention, and as best shown in Fig. 4, the convolutions of each of the coils 43, 44 are preferably in continuous 'and' non-spaced contact with a view to a substantially micrometer or fine screw thread adjustment in coaction with threaded means, hereinafter described, fastened to the ends of the headband 25.

To each of the opposed ends 26,- 2! of the headband 25 a U-shaped bracket 45 is fastened, as at 46. The spaced and opposed walls of each bracket are provided with aligned holes 41, 48 which turnably receive pintles 49, 50, projecting from opposite sides of each of a, pair of blocks 52 which ride in the elongated slots'3l, 32 of the sleeve 28. A threaded bore 53 in block 5| operatively receives the convolutions of the coil 43 while a threaded bore 54 in block 52 operatively receives the oppositely directed convolutions of the coil 44. As best shown in Figures 1 and 2, the outer end portion of the coil 43 is turnably received in the bight of a guiding and retaining bracket 55 fastened as at 56 to one end of the front wall of the sleeve 28. In a similar fashion, the outer end of the coil 44 is guidingly retained in a similar bracket 57 fastened, as at 58, to the front wall of the other end of the same sleeve. The over-all radius of curvature of the two flexible coils 43, 44, it is to be understood, by the means provided, conforms to the radius of curvature of the elongated sleeve 28 and the portions of the headband embraced by the sleeve so that convenient and facile adjustment of the headband as now to be described, is assured.

The function and general mode of operation has been in large measure indicated above, but may be summarized as follows:

Assuming that the assembly depicted in the several views is in use with a suitable helmet or desired headgear (not shown) pivotally supported on the straps l2, E3 of the arch member II, the wearer will rotate the adjusting member 4|, and consequently the attached coils 43, 44 having left and right convolutions respectively. The rotating of the coils 43, 44 will move the blocks 5|, 52 attached thereto towards or away from the mid-point of the sleeve 28 as the adjusting member is turned in a clockwise or counter-clockwise direction. The movement of the blocks 5|, 52 in turn will move the respective adjacent ends 26, 21 of the headband towards or away from each other, thereby decreasing or increasing the effective dimension of the headband as a whole to the exact size required or to suit the comfort of the wearer. The actual adjustment may be easily and quickly made, and with substantially micrometer exactness, if desired. The flexibility of the coil or helical members 43, 44 as indicated above particularly adapts these adjusting means to conform to the same radius of curvature as the sleeve, thus facilitating manipulation and adjustment and preventing distortion of the headband by the avoidance of stresses or strains that would be set-up by rigid adjusting means.

I prefer to form the arch member and the headband of fibre in view of its lightness and heat insulating properties, but it is of course understood that any suitable substitute may be employed.

I am aware that the invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributes thereof, and I therefore desire the present embodiment to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, reference being had to the appended claims rather than to the foregoing description to indicate the scope of the invention.

What isclaimed is: I

1. In an adjustable headbands. tubular casing comprising spaced inner and outer 'walls integrally joined by curved edges and having a curvature corresponding to the head of the wearer, said outer wall being formed with a pair of longitudinally extending aligned slots, a headband having a pair of ends slidably positioned in said casing at the opposite ends thereof, a bracket carried by each end of said band and extending through one of said slots, a nut journaled in each of said brackets, and a flexible screw member carried by said casing and having oppositely threaded end sections which are screwed into the nuts carried by the brackets on the headband ends.

2. In an adjustable headband, a tubular casing comprising spaced inner and outer walls integrally joined by curved edges and having a curvature corresponding to the head of a wearer, said outer wall being formed with a pair of longitudinally extending aligned slots, a headband having a pair of ends slidably positioned in said casing at the opposite ends thereof, a bracket carried by each end of said band and extending through one of said slots, a nut journaled in each of said brackets, a bracket mounted on the outer casing wall between the slots therein and presenting a pair of outwardly extending ears, and a flexible screw member of substantially fixed length rotatably mounted in said ears and having oppositely threaded end sections screwed into the said nuts.

v 3. In an adjustable headband, a tubular casin comprising spaced inner and outer walls integrally joined by curved edges and having a curvature corresponding to the head of a wearer, said outer wall being formed with a pair of longitudinally extending aligned slots, a headband having a pair of ends slidably positioned in said casing at the opposite ends thereof, a bracket carried by each end of said band and extending through one of said s1ots, a nut journaled in each of said brackets, a bracket mounted on the outer casing wall between the slots therein and presenting a pair of outwardly extending ears, a flexible screw member of substantially fixed length rotatably mounted in said ears and having oppositely threaded end sections screwed into said nuts, and an operating member carried by said screw member between the end sections thereof and positioned between said ears.

4. In an adjustable headband, a tubular casing comprising spaced inner and outer walls integrally joined by curved edges and having a curvature corresponding to the head of a wearer, said outer wall being formed with a pair of Iongitudinally extending aligned slots, a headband having a pair of ends slidably positioned in said casing at the opposite ends thereof, a bracket carried by each end of said band and extending through one of said slots,.a nut journaled in each of said brackets, a bracket on the outer casing wall between said slots and including a pair of outwardly extending cars, a guide at each end .of said outer casing wall, a flexible screw member .of fixed length journaled in said ears and having oppositely threaded end sections screwed into said nuts and received in said guides, and an operating member carried by said screw member between said end sections and rotatably positioned between said ears.

FREDERICK M. LBOWERS.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

